Left Cultures
Edited by Phil Wrigglesworth
leftcultures.com £8 to £13 (depending on income)

AS THE introduction to the second edition explains, this book is a compilation of stories each accompanied by a beautiful illustration making the book, in itself, a contributor to both written and visual culture of the left.

The contributors are not, in general, familiar names but if you are curious about who they are, there is a helpful summary of each at the back. In some ways, however, it does not matter. Everyone’s voice is equally valued. There is also a link to each artist to discover more of their work.

Most start their stories with pivotal moments that shaped their views and set them on a socialist or left path, for example, listening to the lyrics of a popular song like Everything Counts by Depeche Mode, or a chance encounter with a punk librarian, Maoist bus driver or kindly book shop proprietor. But sometimes they give credit to a creative action such as those by Led by Donkeys activists.